Dug out some old MXR pedals…

  • Thread starter Thread starter psychodave
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psychodave

psychodave

Well-known member
I was cleaning up a bit and decided to pull out the milk crate with old MXR pedals. I haven’t touched these in over a decade as evidenced by the batteries expiring in 2008 and 2012 ?. I got lucky with only one battery having cause a bit of gunk in my 1983 Tube screamer. Looks like I got to it in time though. ? As expected, the foam inside all of the pedal’s deteriorated and was a sticky gunk. So I cleaned them out with compressed air and a stiff, small paint brush. I don’t have any carbon zinc batteries so I popped in a few alkaline batteries and started to tinker. I forgot how good these pedals really sound. I’ve always loved phasers as you can tell by the pics, but the standout for me is the dyna comp. I used it many years ago when playing blues and Jimi stuff, but never gave it a chance playing it with metal. Such a cool pedal.

The silver pedal at the bottom of the pic is an a MXR micro amp. Long time ago I remember finding a board with two broken resistors, but I don’t remember fixing it or finding original MXR parts to make it whole again. The interesting thing is it has two electrolytic caps on the board and the look to be original. I’ve done extensive searching and can’t locate any pics on the web showing those caps. ? It sounds a little different…it’s a bit more compressed and brighter sounding. Not sure if it’s simpler due to those caps or just part drift. I’m not even sure the pot value is correct…but it is an MXR pot dating 1979. ?

Here are some pics to enjoy.

1693424885367.jpeg


Micro amp boards. Notice the electrolytic caps on one.
1693425127746.jpeg
 
I wish I'd have kept all my old pedals. Old Boss chorus, Delay, some 70s pedals a neighbor kid gave me. All I have left is an 80s DOD FX65 stereo Chorus. I hooked it up first in line in my WDW. Got that wet 80s vibe in spades.
 
Wow, nice collection there. I'm pretty keen on MXR pedals. I have 3 or 4 myself and used to have the MicroAmp and SmartGate and something else at one point :yes:
 
Those Phase 100’s are pretty cool. Use mine every now and then. Phase 90 more though.
 
The phasers and flangers all sound different. The script phase 90 is from 74 and was painted a slightly different orange. The flanger without the logo has the 103 board and cut trace due to a design flaw. I mention this because the older versions have more of that Van Halen sound. Hard to explain, but once you hear the different versions, you can’t deny it. MXR came real close with the 74 reissue phase 90, but I had to adjust the internal pot to get it to sound more like my original.

Keep in mind I’ve had most of the pedals for 30 years, so I paid $30-50 a piece for most.
 
I remember buying the original Phase 90 in '74

Went back to that music store a couple months later and saw the Phase 100

Had never felt so betrayed by MXR.
 
PLX said:
I remember buying the original Phase 90 in '74

Went back to that music store a couple months later and saw the Phase 100

Had never felt so betrayed by MXR.
Click to expand...
It took them time to invent 10 more phases. Give them a break.
 
Did MXR produce the Dyna Comp while still in Rochester, NY?
 
dcburn said:
Did MXR produce the Dyna Comp while still in Rochester, NY?
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I believe so. My dyna comp is from 77. They first came out in 76.

I find the dyna comp to sound really good to provide the map with a little push. It just adds some noise at high settings.
 
psychodave said:
I believe so. My dyna comp is from 77. They first came out in 76.

I find the dyna comp to sound really good to provide the map with a little push. It just adds some noise at high settings.
Click to expand...
I'll have to do a little research.
Rochester is my neck of the woods, so would be cool to have one from there.
Appreciate the thread and info Dave!
 
psychodave said:
I believe so. My dyna comp is from 77. They first came out in 76.

I find the dyna comp to sound really good to provide the map with a little push. It just adds some noise at high settings.
Click to expand...
Dyna Comp came out in '74

:coffee:

MX-101Phase 901974
MX-102Dyna Comp1974
MX-103Blue Box1974
MX-104Distortion+1974
MX-105Phase 451974
MX-106Noise Gate Line Driver1975
MX-107Phase 1001975
MX-10810 Band Graphic Equalizer1976
MX-1096 Band Graphic Equalizer1976
MX-117Flanger1976
MX-118Analog Delay1976
MX-120Envelope Filter1976
 
PLX said:
Dyna Comp came out in '74

:coffee:

MX-101Phase 901974
MX-102Dyna Comp1974
MX-103Blue Box1974
MX-104Distortion+1974
MX-105Phase 451974
MX-106Noise Gate Line Driver1975
MX-107Phase 1001975
MX-10810 Band Graphic Equalizer1976
MX-1096 Band Graphic Equalizer1976
MX-117Flanger1976
MX-118Analog Delay1976
MX-120Envelope Filter1976
Click to expand...
I think when they first marketed it, they touted the reissue as being a "76" model.

Only ones from that list I never owned were the blue box, analog delay and envelope filter. It was on purpose... I never liked the blue box sound, the delay didnt have enough delay time and I've never been a big wah fan. lol
 
psychodave said:
I think when they first marketed it, they touted the reissue as being a "76" model.

Only ones from that list I never owned were the blue box, analog delay and envelope filter. It was on purpose... I never liked the blue box sound, the delay didnt have enough delay time and I've never been a big wah fan. lol
Click to expand...
You have to replace the inductor in the wah's to get them to sound good.

I still have my MXR Distortion+ with pot codes of December 1978.
 
nice!

young, dumbass me sold all my pedals back in the day when I moved to rack rigs. same for my tube amps and cabs, including some pre-CBS Fender amps, and Sunn Beta Lead & Cab that I purchased new.

I had '70s EHX and MXR pedals I purchased new in the '70s as a kid!
 
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